Machine for moving boxcars



A. SELINGER EIAL 2,578,267 MACHINE FOR MOVING BOXCARS Dec. 11, 1951Filed March 23, 1948 Fig./.

24 I6) 58 36 I4 69 f 5 g; 42 F TILE-2; 2;; as /2 52 Inventors An fanSalinger Olaf Bakke Patented Dec. 11, 1951 MACHINE FOR MOVING BOXCARSAnton Selinger, New England, and Olaf Bakke, De Sart, N. Dak.

Application March 23, 1948, Serial No. 16,458

Claims. (Cl. 105-141) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in devices for moving railroad cars and the like and theprimary object of the present invention is to provide a frame slidableon a rail and embodying novel and improved means for driving or slidingthe frame on the rail to pull a box car.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide amachine for moving box cars including a rail engaging roller and noveland improved means for driving the roller and for forcing the rollerinto frictional engagement with a rail.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine formoving box cars and the like that is quickly and readily applied to orremoved from a box car in a convenient manner.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a machine ofthe aforementioned character that is small and compact in structure,strong and reliable in use, simple and practical in construction,relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted forthe purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the present invention in usefor moving a box car;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the present invention applied to a track;and,

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially onthe plane of broken section line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose ofillustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the numeral l0 represents an elongated channel shaped framethat frictionally engages a rail 12 with the web portion l4 of the saidframe frictionally engaging the upper surface [6 of the rail.

Preferabl integrally formed with the sides of the frame I!) is a pair ofspaced parallel, arcuate ears I8 that rotatably support a removabledriven shaft 20 one end 22 of which projects outwardly from a sleeve 24that is rigidly secured to one of the ears Hi. This end 22 of the shaft20 is suitably keyed to a sprocket wheel 26 which is connected to thedrive shaft engaging wheel 28 of a suitable motor 30 that is fixed onthe frame by an endless link chain 32.

Pivotally secured to the sides of the frame in are the ends 34 of a pairof support arms 36 the free ends 38 of which are connected by a bolt andnut 40 that rotatably supports an idler roller or wedge 42 for a purposewhich will later be more fully apparent.

Removably keyed on the driven shaft 20 is a rail engaging roller 44having an annular groove 46 that frictionally engages the upper surfaceI6 of the rail l2. The sides 48 of the groove 45 are inclined outwardlyrelative to each other and are provided with a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced gripping teeth 50 that frictionally engage theinclined side edges 52 of the rail l2.

Fixed on the frame In by a support bracket or the like 54, is aninclined lever 56 having a handle 58 at one end. This lever 56 isconnected by a flexible towing chain 60 to a portion of a box car or thelike 62.

In practical use of the present invention, the roller 44 frictionallyengages the upper surface It of the rail [2, and the teeth 50frictionally engage the inclined side edges 52 of the rail l2 as shownbest in Figure 3 of the drawings. The lower surface of the idler roller42 frictionally engages the roller 44 and the upper surface of the idlerroller 42 frictionally engages one wheel 64 of the box car 62. As themotor 30 is actuated, the roller 44 will be driven to drive or slide theframe In on the rail l2. As the box car 62 is pulled by the frame [0 thewheel 64 will rotate to force the idler roller 42 against the railengaging member or roller 44 to effect the necessary frictionalengagement of the roller 44 with the rail l2 to move the frame [0, itbeing understood, that the roller 44 and wheel 64 will rotate in thesame direction whereas the idler roller 42 will rotate in an oppositedirection from the wheel 64 and roller 44.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of thedevice will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A moredetailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same issusceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of theinvention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A machine for moving box cars comprising a channel member slidablyreceived on a rail, a pair of spaced ears projecting outwardly from oneend of said channel member, a driving spool journaled for rotation onsaid ears and including outwardly flanged portions, circumferentiallyspaced teeth provided on the outer periphery of said flanged portions,means mounted on said channel member for driving said spool, an idlerroller bearing against said spool and adapted for wedging positioningbetween said spool and a car wheel for forcing the spool against a rail,and links pivotally securing said roller to said channel member.

2. A machine for towing box cars comprising a frame slidably received ona rail, a rail engaging roller journaled for rotation on said frame andhaving an annular, central groove, said groove having inclined sidesconforming to the inclined side edges of a rail, teeth provided on theinclined sides of said groove adapted to grip the inclined side edges ofa rail, a roller bearing against the rail engaging roller and wedgedbetween said rail engaging roller and a box car wheel to force the railengaging roller against a rail, means pivotally securing said roller tosaid frame, and means for driving said rail engaging roller.

3. A machine for moving box cars comprising a frame slidable on a rail,means for attaching the frame to a boxcar, a roller carried by the framefrictionally engaging a rail, means for rotating the roller, and anidler roller bearing against the first named roller and contacting awheel of a car for 1" orcing the first named roller into frictionalengagement with a rail.

4. The combination of claim 3 and means pivotally securing said idlerroller to said frame.

5. A machine for moving box cars comprising a channel member slidablyreceived on a rail, a pair of spaced ears projecting outwardly from oneend of said channel member, a driving spool journaled for rotation onsaid ears and including outwardly flanged portions, circumferentiallyspaced teeth provided on the outer periphery of said flanged portions,means mounted on said channel member for driving said spool, an idlerroller bearing against said spool and adapted for Wedging positioningbetween said spool and a car wheel for forcing the spool against a rail,links pivotally securing said roller to said channel member, and meansattached to said channel member for anchoring the channel member to abox car.

ANTON SELINGER. OLAF BAKKE.

aEFERnNcEs CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date l,712,33{1 Durban at 8,1 May 7,1929 1,850,065 sawisville Mar. 15, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 486,482 France Jan. 15, 1918

